Strickler family papers

The Strickler Family Papers, 1887-1928, primarily comprise correspondence written by members of the Strickler family originally of Page County, Virginia who had relocated to Washington and Nevada. Reuben Thomas Strickler of Page County is the primary recipient of the correspondence. A travel diary documents a 1928 trip from New Market, Virginia to California and back to settle the estate of William Isaac Strickler.

The collection largely comprises correspondence written by David Benton Strickler (1869-1898) to his brother Reuben Thomas Strickler (1854-1937) and mother Sarah Brubaker Strickler (1836-1891) in Page County. Letters were written from Sprague and Harrington, Washington where David Strickler lived and worked in the lumber industry. The correspondence provides updates on family and work matters, and are generally newsy in their content.

Additional correspondence was written to Reuben Strickler by his brothers Jacob Perry, Joseph Gideon, and William Isaac. William Isaac Strickler (1857-1928) also wrote to his niece Mary Stickler Hoover (1895-1972). A cross-hatched style letter was written to Joseph Gideon Strickler in February 15, 1887 by an unknown sender.

An April-May 1928 travel diary chronicles a trip out west from New Market, Virginia to Nevada (and further on to Washington, Oregon, and California) after the death of William Isaac Strickler in March 1928. Contextual clues suggest that the diary was likely written by Mary Lucy Strickler Hoover (daughter of Reuben Strickler) who traveled with husband Samuel Beery Hoover. The goal of the trip appears to be settling William Strickler's estate as well as visiting with family. Someone known only as "B." is the diarist's companion on the trip. There are mentions of "Uncle Will" [Strickler] and "Uncle Perry" [Strickler] who lived in Vancouver, Washington. The couple made the trip via a Ford automobile part of the way and also traveled via train and bus. The pair visited Hazel Strickler Halford and husband Bill in Los Angeles. The diary also documents their trip back home to New Market.